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Small Cabin Forum / Member's Projects and Photos / my new container cabin home project
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rancid
Member
# Posted: 11 Mar 2010 19:46
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well im a new guy from utah, married with 3 kids. me and my wife have been looking out getting some property and building a place out of the city. we dont like the way things are going today and want to show our kids what we think may be a more simple life. so we have drawing up ideas for a place using shipping containers as the shell. so now we got us 11 acres in utah. not to far from 2 large lakes. so its got a large gully running through the center and winter run off right through the middle. as well as a river on one side all year, lots of trees and tons of huge rocks. some the size of small homes. very nice lot, and we have bought 2 40 ft shipping containers that will sit on a pin foundation and will span them apart from each other 22 ft. the in between 22 ft will be the kitchen, living, dining area. inside the containers will be 2 bedrooms masterbed, bath closets, and small office, as well as a large pantery. we will use some prefab trusses and face one open end to the south with full glass wall and the north end will be framed in.
a composting toilet 3500 gallon cistern buried on the hill next to the cabin. will do solar and mabey wind later, would like to do some kind of roof mounted solar water heater.a nice big wood burning stove in the main area. we just got the containers delivered and the long driveway in with a nice road done to the bottom of the gully and back up the other side, as well as a nice big cleared area for our crazy cabin. it will be insilated with spray insilation from the exterior and covered in rough cut pine boards. it will be alot of work but were hoping a better life for are kids, able to ride 4 wheelers and fish, hunt and learn about some other stuff as they grow up. and we got 11 acres, so as the kids get of age we will give each kid a acre or 2. heres some drawings i did on sketchup and some of the containers being delivered and the new road going down to the gully all covered in snow.

rancid
Member
# Posted: 11 Mar 2010 19:50
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MikeOnBike
Member
# Posted: 11 Mar 2010 23:13
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Very nice! I was interested in containers but found out that we can't get them into our property without a helicopter. We are back to stick framing.

Looks like about 2000sqft?

Please keep us updated with your progress. Pictures are appreciated.

RDLong70
Member
# Posted: 12 Mar 2010 00:40
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Looks like a very cool idea. Keep us updated with pics and a blog. =)

ericdj
Member
# Posted: 12 Mar 2010 12:38
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Containers here run $1800-2800 for steel. I've considering this option. Keep us informed.Goood luck!

MontanaMama
Member
# Posted: 18 Mar 2010 13:07
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Wow, this is really cool. My husband works for his uncle at a truck salvage yard. I wonder if something similar could be done with old semi-truck boxes.

Anonymous
# Posted: 10 Apr 2010 22:12
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I have been researching containers and container homes for quite some time. You mentioned insulation. The problem with Bat style insulation is it allows water to condensate between the insulation and the walls. To eliminate the mold and mildew problem that creates expanded foam insulation or a sprayed ceramic coating insulation is used. great idea and a sweet looking concept you have there.

rancid
Member
# Posted: 11 Apr 2010 09:40
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i am planning on using spray insulation for the floor and walls as well as the roof.

steveqvs
Member
# Posted: 11 Apr 2010 22:41
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I like the idea of using containers! My problem is how to finish them inside and out and get that cabin feel.

rancid
Member
# Posted: 12 Apr 2010 21:03
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im going to sheetrock the interior and use roughcut pine for the baseboards and trim. and roughcut pine slats and corugated steel on the exterior.

larry
Member
# Posted: 12 Apr 2010 21:16
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must be damn noisy in a hail storm!

rancid
Member
# Posted: 12 Apr 2010 21:18
Reply 


shouldnt sound any different than any house, since it will have standard roof and insulation.

larry
Member
# Posted: 12 Apr 2010 21:22
Reply 


sorry if i sound negative, but if you plan on building what i have seen above, what would be the point/purpose of the tin can? i think the plan looks great...

rancid
Member
# Posted: 12 Apr 2010 21:29
Reply 


easy and very little construction, from using the containers. very little stud framing, the rooms and outer walls are all the container. the living area glass wall is all commercial store front system, made from aluminum. and will let heat in for winter. the back north wall, is the only real framed wall. other than the 2x3 seperating walls in the container as the rest of the container will have sheetrock screwed on the container wall and not framed against the wall and then sheetrocked. plus the container will be roof support.

larry
Member
# Posted: 12 Apr 2010 21:35
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please post pics of the process. i am curios as to how it all works.

rancid
Member
# Posted: 12 Apr 2010 21:45 - Edited by: rancid
Reply 


heres my newer idea on how to arrange the containers, but im going to need a new 20ft as well.


toyota_mdt_tech
Member
# Posted: 19 May 2010 00:40
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I'd bury it into a hillside, expose just an end of it. Secure, cool in the summer, warm int he winter.

bugs
Member
# Posted: 20 May 2010 09:52
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Hi rancid

Great idea.

A new company is taking this idea a step further and is trying to market renovated containers. You might get some design ideas for yours.

http://3twenty.ca/

rancid
Member
# Posted: 28 May 2010 10:58
Reply 


i like the idea of berming it, but i dont know what membrane or how to protect it from water and rust.

Cabin Owl
Member
# Posted: 13 Sep 2010 22:35
Reply 


How is your project going?

Anonymous
# Posted: 16 Sep 2010 07:01
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Thats pretty cool. It looks like your property is very close to mine by the pictures and discription.
--Cedar

Cedar Trip
Member
# Posted: 16 Sep 2010 07:09
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Oops, I dont know why it made me Anonymous.
--Cedar Trip
m1.JPG
m1.JPG


captianpattson
Member
# Posted: 3 Oct 2010 22:59
Reply 


I live in utah too. I've actually thought of using containers but was afraid that it was too big to pass as a "small cabin." Did you have any trouble with codes or permits?

BigDuke6
Member
# Posted: 8 Jan 2013 15:47
Reply 


Any updates to share?

Rossman
# Posted: 8 Jan 2013 18:30
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I mentioned using shipping containers to my building inspector as a possible approach and he was clearly unfamiliar with the concept, and uncomfortable. For sure would need local engineer approval etc.

Believe we will go with something a little more standard just to grease the wheels in that regard.

Love the container plans and I understand the only concern with using them is that they are generally pretty heavily sprayed with herbicides / pesticides, in particular I read that the wooden subfloor that comes in most should be removed and replaced and the whole business well cleaned.

There is a guy over in Quebec, made a real badass place I found quite inspiring!

Quebec, Canada

Rossman
# Posted: 8 Jan 2013 18:35
Reply 


Oh, also, be mindful that as soon as you cut into the side of the container to open it up, you're going to have to do something to support the roof. Containers are only super strong when they are a complete unit, as soon as you start cutting into them you have to reinforce them. Hope you are handy with a welder!!

As regards to protecting the containers from rusting, they are made from CORTEN steel which is designed to withstand rust!

Just a couple things I found out when I was looking into this myself, that you may find useful.

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